New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-04
MUSIC.
IsZr,S "CHRISTUS.n

the Metropolitan Opera House last night. hereafter
il will be impossible any to say that justice mas
not been done to List the composer, IN Ameroa' vi
his Larger choral works the Gran Mass" PRONE
theusn The Legend of St. Elizabeth" The Bells OF
the StrasburQ Cathedral" and ChIistus have been
performed in this country and significant orches-
tral piano forte composition bas been negiectea
Many OF these pieces too nave been performed under
| exceptionally favorable circumstances, and II they
have not great favor the fault Goes not e with the
| performances. -
first time in public in this country at the
public rehearsal for last nights concert on
"Wednesday afternoon Its fr9t part, how,
Society in Februar. 1915 aud the orchestral pastoral
called the Song Of the Shepherds at the Manger" in
the work. programme OF the Philharmonic
time OF the first performance OF the oratorO in
Weimar. 1t and the" March OF the Three Holy Kings
have been heard several times since. The credit OF
bringing out the remainder OF the work belongs to Mr.
Walter J. Damrosch, whose leading disclosed careful
study of the and enthe familiarity with its con-
tents. Mr. Damroschs anxiety to do justice to the
composition. however, led him TO what we tnmk was
excessive timidity in the use OF the blue pencil lie
show ed such great devotion to the dead composer that
10 forgot the obligations to living audience and
the performance consequence was wearying Heroic
treatment is easily forgiven in the preparation OF
score by List tor performance. OF all modern com
posers he is the most persteny guilty OF the artistic
Sin of beating his ideas into tenuy and reiteratng
them 20 the limit OF endurance. Mr. Damrosch sacrl-
feed the Paer Noser" and made cuts ia two or three
of the long numbers but he might have gone further
| with
spite great deal OF beautiful music Christus' is
monotonOus work. In its first part dealing with the
Nativity its simple pastoral ettnesses become cloy-
! ing. Later its persistent hturgcal spirit becomes
| wearisome for want of moderation and contrast.
Critics who confess their inability 10 take an interest
in the oraorio form are in the haoit OF admitting 'nat
within the church Of the effectiveness, which has
been weakened by the dominant taste Tor dramatic
music might be recovered. .Chritus" furnishes them
splendid illustration OF all the compositions OF Its
class it s the most inappropriate the concert stage
| As re gious music 1t If, tor the greater part tne
antpode. OIL Itossni's Stabat Mater rake ont one
two numbers, the instrumental storm nrst Oh az,
and the remainder OF the work out OF place when
ia out of the church, whereas Rossins composition
| seems 10 be masqueradin2 whenever it gets within
church walls This fact alone To say nothing OF the
number pieces in which the music does not reach
worthily high plane Of excellence, wo I'D have Jusued
Mr. Damrosch III abbreviating he novelty more than
There are but few features in which Chris,us" re-
sembles what since Handels time has been known as
| an oiatorio In spirit and obvious purpose 1T Is
church service. Like the old Mysteries and Passions
| it is designed a torn OF worship. Unlike these
Mysteries ard Passions, however, II makes almost no
use OF dramatic factors. The speakers. except In two
stances in which uterances OF Christ are gwen IN
solo voice and cApressivcly set are not ndl' dndLed
The voice is the voice OF the Catholic Church and the
prevailing tone the music Is tho tone oil the "a adj
tional music OF the Church This Ia true even OF tne
pastoral music OF the first part which Is melodicany
| and rhythmcay imitation Of 1.-The strains OF the
! Italian pifferari which Bach and Handel before
Llszt put under tribute for their pastoral symphonies
In Chrisius" this music has nave expression which
calls up In the Imagination not 80 much the story OF
the Nativity as related ~ bis direct and unadOrned
style by the evangelist the ableaus which IL SUI
customary exhibit in the Catholic churches Tor the
| ediheatiOn OF ithe faithful on Christmas Day. Inc
chdlike. unquestioning faith which We are more apt
10 look upon chars cerstic OF the medieval Church
than the Church OF to-day, tnetured 3y me senu-
mentasm which made up 80 much OF LlsZts rens-
Though il led to monotone List gave it eloquent e1-
preston. Other points of difference between
Christus" and the older orstorios may bo not-d
briefly Where the latter have recitatlyes ana airs
the former has proclanations based the jregoran
chants which suggcsts at once the priest performing
his holy oiloe When Bach uses the chorales IN which
the congregation expected TO take part List
introduces hymns from the liturgy OF the Cathouc
Church. In the setting OF the Beatudes from Wrists
Sermon Mount. OF the most beautlful pieces
in the o.atorio with the Pater No-ter II was the
germ from which Iiszl developed the work he resorts
to antphony, and the picture OF an impressi'e, de-
voton inspiring church ceremonial Is called up AT
once In tact cannot listen 10 LISTS music with.
out seeing fancy tae church with its candles ana
Canvass robed priests, acoytes and swinging
censcrs.
The text for his oratorio List drew from the
vulgate aud the Catholic liturgy. II is in three parts
and in each part there is at least one instrumental
| number. The frat part Is designated q Christmas
Oratorio" 1t begins with an orchestral piece designed
to give expression 10 the prophecy IN Isaiah, Drop
down We heavens from above etc. and its ulflment.
1t is in parts, ugato and pastorale Episodes
from the story of the Nativity fill the rest OF the part
| in the following order: Proclamation and angelic
| hymn the hymn Stabat Mater Spcciosa," depicting
the emotion of the Virgin beside the manager Song OF
the Shepherds at the Mangcr orchestral pastora);
Alteration of the Msgi, the old legend has II, OF
tho Three Holy Kings; march, made up OF three parts
the first the Kings, the second the Star in the East
determined by sustane note on the volins and the
third the offerings; the second part, Alter
Epiphany has.fve numbers; the Beatitudes, Gre
gorian antiphony betN baritone solo and chorus
Pater" Noster'; thrioundng OF the Church Tu es
Petrus chorus and orchestra the storm on the Nes OF
Gaee torohestra except tor the words OF Christ and
the dsciples); Christs entry into Jerusalem, solo
quartet chorus and orchestra. Part third treats OF
the Passion and Resurrection in four nambeis
Christs agony in the garden OF Gethsemane descrp-
tiye rul IN baritone
exceeding sorrowful etc.,; Stabat Mater
DolorosAp solo quartet chorus ana orchestra, Inc
female voices TO tho ancient melody with organ sc
compartment and barmonles IN the Dorian mole; the
story the Resurrc on told in the words, le arose
the third day. Christ triumphs, Christ reigns Christ
governs in oil eternity, AmenV given out by solo
quartet, chorus and orchestra
Mr. DamrOsch and the OIatorio Society deserve TO
be congratulated on the manner in which the work
performed In the larger choruses the deficiency
OF mems voices was tet, but the women sang with hne
energy taste and quality OF voice all the evening The
angelic hymn, the nrst "Stabat" and the " Beati-
tudes' especially we'll suug. better in TACT than
ANYTHING that the society has given tor several years
The solo quartet composed OF Miss Ella carlo,
Miss Hattie Clapper Mr. Alvsry and Mr. Heinrich,
whose voices blended nicely. Individual display vas
not considered py Lsz in writing this music but the
truly musical nature OF vMr. Heinrich enabled him to
intone the Beatitudes" with beauty OF tone and
warmth of teryor that were profoundly impressive.
The orchestra played well.
THOMAS POPULAR CONCERT.
Circumstances made the first appearance OF Miss
Jennie Dutou in NewYork the most interesting feat
ure of the fourth Thomas Popular matinee at tho Met
ropolltan Opera House yesterday afternoon. This is
discOnragng statement in view of the fact that the
concert opened with Mozarts G-minor symphony, a
work whose beauty is az exhaustless as love, aud
which onght to be PLAY ed perfectly by MIR. Thomass
But yesterdays was One OF the most poriuncIory
performa that we ever heard under Mr. Thomass
direction. lie conducted listlessly il thinking OF
something else. and his played II their only
tl,al Ia ftta lnafp
their music sheets The spirit pervaded the entire per
formance the time given to three OF Brahms
Hungarian dances, and portion OF LISTS lasso.
The audience felt it and remained ind ferent even
the applause that won n repetition oil the Largo by
Handel not hearty. - -
Miss Button, who sang Mendelssohns scena |
Inslica and iwo songs by Rubnstein aud SchnbcIt,